How Kenyan Politicians use ‘Patriotism’ to Manipulate Kenyans

Yours truly is not a patriot and does not value patriotism or sing patriotic songs. Colonial home guards, neo-colonialists and their offspring hijacked our country. Our patriotism has become a private resource for the highest bidders.

Kenya’s patriotism is full of all the wrong things. Take the example of vote buying and rigging and electing rogue candidates for governance. We also have a large group of uninformed citizens and a complacent middle class. Sycophancy disguised as patriotism has taken root.

Yours truly is not a patriot because Kenya has become a preserve of a few. The majority still languish in poverty, sycophancy and brainwash of a few elites that oppress and exploit them.

The rogue politicians who hijacked our patriotism and revolutionary slogans ride in the same vehicles. They are birds of the same feather. Ideologies divide them but personal interests unite them. They are together when it comes to greed and eating at the same table. They are opulent and enjoy impunity from exploiting Kenyans.

Kenyan politicians use patriotism to oppress Kenyans

The politicians are millionaires (and others billionaires) and they have no Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in their families. They earn fat paychecks and enjoy guaranteed security and high insurance. These politicians live in posh neighbourhoods like Runda, Kileleshwa, Muthaiga, Lavington, and Karen.

Arbitrary fare hikes never affect them and their families when it rains because they do not use public transport. You will never find them making the long queues in public hospitals.

A politician is a fellow who will lay down your life for his country.

Texas Guinan

Their children go to the best schools and they never drop out of school for lack of school fees. Their families do not attend the demonstrations that they, the rogue politicians, organize. The poor and the hungry attend these demonstrations only for the police to clobber them mercilessly.

The families of these politicians never sleep hungry. Floods like those that ravaged Budalangi do not affect them and their families. Neither are their houses and businesses affected by illegal demolitions.

They all have diplomatic passports and one-way tickets to V.I.P slots. When in trouble, they play propaganda and the tribal card. They claim that other tribes are targeting them (meaning their tribe rather than them individually). They create fear in their ethnic communities that the communities will go nowhere without them (the politicians).

Kenyans only see them in the media, social media, political gatherings, and other social gatherings. We do not have any direct connection with them. They do not care at all about us.

Patriotism is not loyalty to politicians

Between a drunk driver and a rogue politician, who is more dangerous? To yours truly, the drunk driver is reproachable while the rogue politician is unreachable. We the ordinary citizens of Kenya have to be reasonable.

Our IDs are the only thing we have in common with these politicians who oppress us.

Yet, many Kenyans trade their lives to these politicians. They worship and defend the politicians who control them like puppets.

Many Kenyans are obsessed with their politicians. They will fight, loot, harm, and kill in their name. They have become slaves to lick the politicians’ boots. Such Kenyans trade their minds and reason to these rogue politicians. They worship them and elevate them to the level of political demigods.

The politicians use ‘patriotism’ to turn many Kenyans into their footsoldiers to fight their proxy wars. Their ethnic communities become falsely dependent on them to lead the way. The people falsely think that these politicians will share with them the national cake. However, nothing could be far from the truth.

The politicians use all the rogue tactics to divide and rule us. They want you to fight your neighbour because they are not from your tribe. They want you to violate that man or woman because they do not belong to your political party. The politicians thrive in the chaos that Kenyans will never unite for a common cause.

There is nothing dangerous to these politicians like informed citizens.

The true definition of patriotism

Therefore, do not kill your neighbour to satisfy the ego of the politicians. Do not rape, burn, loot or insult a person because your political demigod tells you to do so. Become an informed individual who can think for themselves.

Patriotism means to stand by the country. It does not mean to stand by the president or any other public official…

Theodore Roosevelt

You have the power to love your fellow citizen and your country without pledging allegiance to the rogue politicians. You can bring change to your community, restore, and maintain peace at all levels.

Do not vest your power in an individual, a rogue politician. Vote for an individual because of their abilities, not because they are necessarily from your tribe.

That is the true definition of patriotism, not loyalty to one’s politicians or government.

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Great piece, however, I must ask whether you actually believe voting is gonna help this country? Not voting is what Kenya needs. Votes get manipulated, genuine leaders die and that is how it is gonna be for a long long time.

Wow! Great piece… Especially as 2017 approaches pity on us. We elect the same rogue politicians…Chaos culminating to death and avarice take toll..then we start having our national anthem “Daima mi ni Mkenya…” after hell has broken loose.